Hello and welcome. About me: I have done an NGA show in 2009, place third in the heavyweight class. In 2010 I got ready for the NGA Florida internation championships (big show, Layne Norton competed in it) and I withdrew because I wasnt happy with the way I looked. Long story short, I want to give NPC a shot. I am doing this for me, not anyone else, plus I love bodybuilding.

Currently I am going by a very unqiue machine that measures alot (its a seven thounsand dollar machine and the only one in the great state of tennessee) so while my gym scale says 230lbs I am going by this one and it says....here are my measurements which Ill be tracking at least monthly and probally using this scale weekly.

according to INBody 520 machine

weight: 224.7 lbs
Body fat percentage 13.9

I started my prep on Feb 1st. A sixteen weeker

Current diet 3,000
average of
300 protein
300 carbs
65 f

if things stay the same in another week or two, carbs and fat come down.

Weight training: I have had two major injuries, and I keep gettign minor ones, like my knees I had to back off hack squats and a back strain. I go to a chiropractor tat does Active release therapy and other techniques combined and this helps. In addition, I do my own therapy I have learned over the years, Ice fricton massage, EMS machine, EMS machine with ice, deep tissue, and I get the girl I see to get me deep tissue maybe once or twice a week , when I really need it, this contest prep I may get her to give me it more.

I have to lighten it up sometimes and a lot due to inuries so I have been holding back on purpose.
My Split, which most likely will change
Chest, abs
back, traps
arms
quads
calvs, hams
shoulders
off
repeat

somedays if I feel im behind Ill put quads and hams together or maybe chest and shoulders.

Other activity: I personal train three times weekly right now, and on my feet at least one other day for an hour to two hours walking around. In addition, bedroom cardio, which I get on average two nights a week, some times it may be more, right now its about two nights a week and it can get intense, I can burn a lot of calories this way

cardio: none right now with my other activties, will add in if the results stall

Sleep: overall pretty good. I try and get eight hours a night.

Supplements
I take a lot of AI sports supplements like and Ill be pimping them out in this log
DAA
hghpro
Recoverpro(bcaa's) 30-50 grams daily
l carntine tartrate
3z
glycobol
perform
stoked

other supplements
creatine
beta alanine; although I have to cycle this. For some reason when I use it too long my joints seem to hurt and when I take time off beta alanine I use taurine and this seems to help my joints. I could be worng on this , its just something that my body seems to do.
Quality Multi
Vit c -3 grams daily
glucosamine
pure aloe vera juice- about 2 oz -a couple times weekly
acidophilus
fish oil
L-glutamine 10 grams daily

on hormonals: Its not my favorite subject to talk about openly since its much debate over them;however, since I use over the counter only I am fine with talking about them. I have not used any hormonals otc or otherwise in fifteen months and my last one was I forces protodrol. I really am satified in how I look overall I Know in this show I am going against alot of what I consider heavy hormonal users and that is fine, I do doing this show for me and I only use anabolics I have bought over the counter legally because honestly I am like following the US laws, even though I have different opinions on them out of respect. I plan on using very little for an NPC show, and Im confident I respond so well , this is all I need for my goals, I just have to wait and see.

this isnt set in stone but my stack will be something like a twelve weeker
dymethazine first four weeks 15 mgs
trenavar(new stuff) weeks five to ten 30 mgs
protomax weeks five to ten 75mgs
11-oxo weeks eleven and twelve

Ive never stacked anything before, only used solo over the counters so this is a big step for me. I feel I have overall good genetics for size and will respond well because while Im not the strongest cat in the gym; I sure bigger than a lot of guys that are stronger, and the fact I got large and in charge without ever using a hormonal, I got up to 230 lbs, not fat, not lean when I was 23 and was using some heavy weights without ever using a single thing(and proud I did this!). We will see how this turns out.

I have no pictures currently and may get to putting up some or a video; regardless I am keeping track of things

anyone who wants to summurize can skip to the weekly review I do every friday, after I test everything on the Inbody machine

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness

As for the cycle.. that looks hella rough and I am sure loads of dudes would be using. I would add some transaderm or dermacrine underneath all that just to keep lethargy and stuff at bay. Also, it would help your upper hormones from not having any stimulation for a while. And as for the last couple weeks, I would add in an AI. Formastanzol would be good, but since you aren't tested may as well run something strong if you have used it before, if not well then just something to get water out of your body. I am in no ways experienced, or even researched in this business but that is what I gather. Might wanna look online to see what some people do with their supplement stack as the show gets closer/peak week.

As for the cycle.. that looks hella rough and I am sure loads of dudes would be using. I would add some transaderm or dermacrine underneath all that just to keep lethargy and stuff at bay. Also, it would help your upper hormones from not having any stimulation for a while. And as for the last couple weeks, I would add in an AI. Formastanzol would be good, but since you aren't tested may as well run something strong if you have used it before, if not well then just something to get water out of your body. I am in no ways experienced, or even researched in this business but that is what I gather. Might wanna look online to see what some people do with their supplement stack as the show gets closer/peak week.

You think my cycle looks rough?

I figure at them lowish doses and using daa the whole time, which in my opinion will help. I see some guys using a ton of stuff like testosterone, anavar, and trenbolone and others, while I am using pretty low doses for everything. I just am not going into an NPC without using anything because I know my competition is using and many are using a lot, I have to do what i think is best. I could up the dosage on the dymthazine to 30 because some say 15 is really low and 60 on the trenavar and right now I have no intention to because I seriously blow up on very little. In addition It is my belief the lower the dose the less the sides, and the quicker I come back in pct.

Please understand me I am about getting the best good gains while keeping doses as low as I can for them good gains.

as for balancing lethary that is why I choose protodrol (well another brand protomax) a dht derivate ,that I used before, which has a feel good effect on me, with Trenavar, a nandrolone derivative-well actially its supposely a prohomone to tren and I figured the protodrol would take care of that. I am well studied in anabolics , I just choose to do over the counter stuff because that is part of my personal values currently, and I like to stay on the good side of the law.

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness

I figure at them lowish doses and using daa the whole time, which in my opinion will help. I see some guys using a ton of stuff like testosterone, anavar, and trenbolone and others, while I am using pretty low doses for everything. I just am not going into an NPC without using anything because I know my competition is using and many are using a lot, I have to do what i think is best. I could up the dosage on the dymthazine to 30 because some say 15 is really low and 60 on the trenavar and right now I have no intention to because I seriously blow up on very little. In addition It is my belief the lower the dose the less the sides, and the quicker I come back in pct.

Please understand me I am about getting the best good gains while keeping doses as low as I can for them good gains.

as for balancing lethary that is why I choose protodrol (well another brand protomax) a dht derivate ,that I used before, which has a feel good effect on me, with Trenavar, a nandrolone derivative-well actially its supposely a prohomone to tren and I figured the protodrol would take care of that. I am well studied in anabolics , I just choose to do over the counter stuff because that is part of my personal values currently, and I like to stay on the good side of the law.

Well as far as the length, and I don't think it's rough because you are taking a lot, I don't think you are taking enough... lol.
Specially the last week. 11 oxo/protomax (Stano clone or winny? ) For drying, and perhaps some OTC AI as well. I hear the last week pro's just CRUSH estrogen and get as much water as they can out of them. But like I said, I'm not versed in this, just giving my opinion.

Im in! maybe Ill learn how to cut properly and not mess up like I always do lol

X2 for me, need all the good examples i can find lol

not a fan of that stack your building, but i've never preped for a competition. i would think its not a good idea to be switching compounds 2 weeks out from competition. also trenavar is a IMO a fairly unproven product, man i would really just scrap that stack and start over.

have you considered running some real gear? test prop/winny/masteron/tren ace these are very common basic contest prep cycles, from a quick search lol

I figure at them lowish doses and using daa the whole time, which in my opinion will help. I see some guys using a ton of stuff like testosterone, anavar, and trenbolone and others, while I am using pretty low doses for everything. I just am not going into an NPC without using anything because I know my competition is using and many are using a lot, I have to do what i think is best. I could up the dosage on the dymthazine to 30 because some say 15 is really low and 60 on the trenavar and right now I have no intention to because I seriously blow up on very little. In addition It is my belief the lower the dose the less the sides, and the quicker I come back in pct.

Please understand me I am about getting the best good gains while keeping doses as low as I can for them good gains.

as for balancing lethary that is why I choose protodrol (well another brand protomax) a dht derivate ,that I used before, which has a feel good effect on me, with Trenavar, a nandrolone derivative-well actially its supposely a prohomone to tren and I figured the protodrol would take care of that. I am well studied in anabolics , I just choose to do over the counter stuff because that is part of my personal values currently, and I like to stay on the good side of the law.

i guess if you want to stay on the "legal" side of things, you relize your trying to run strong methyls for 10 weeks here and jumping off right before your contest. i assume you already have these product in hand? so you wont want to switch it up...

i agree with mattrage about the Formastanzol to eliminate all estrogen... this is 10 weeks of orals, your gonna need serious liver support. i would stock up on Liv52, run it all day everyday.

I edited in on my supplements something I forgot l glutamine , I take 10 grams daily when cutting

As for as my stack attention lol I didnt even need to post that, its getting too much attention. I am sticking to lower doses like I laid out on page one. I am not after to become a big monster or anything, this show is for me and if using small doses if what I want to do then by god I am doing it.

Feb 5th 2011

265P
245C
45F
total calories 2,445 *I felt like dropping calories this low would do my good(calorie cycling-done it in the past, its very effective)

Calves *My calves are a little over 17 inches so I have to really work them very hard* moreso than most my other bodyparts

sorry for jumping all over you stack, sounded like you were so sure about it. good luck with the cut bro, hard work will pay off!!!

Its okay bro, No worries. I appreciate you saying something, I know it is ideal for me to use real gear and bigger doses, when I start it(March 1st). I am not sure of anything; although, Its what I have lined up to use.

I have done otc three cycles in the past six years and weak ones according to some of my buddies, 1,4ad 600 mgs for 6 weeks, next one hdrol 75 mgs for 6 weeks and last one protodrol-75 mgs for 6 weeks-(15 months ago) and each time my fellow gym rats told me I need to dose higher, esp for my size (I have been 215-240 for almost ten years now, lean and not so lean) I blow up on them what everyone calls conservative cycles so I really dont see the need to use 30 mgs of dymeth when I can use 15 mgs and get good results. Moreover, only me being on this cycle will show the results and the only way for me is to update and hopefully I can get some video footage up.

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Im not complaining. Its worth it to look nice and lean(and me me hopefully ripped this time around)

Feb 7th 2012 Off went to chiropractor, got some ARt done and other techniques on some minor injuries I have been having and shoulder maintaince. (drove four hours in a day to see him, he is the best and I have to drive this far to see him, its worth it!)

A.R.T. is the ****, helped me out alot after i got rear ended last year and with some old injuries as well

agreed. It helped me come back from a elbow injurt in 08-09 that i had to take a full year off upper body. In addition it helps with a shoulder injury i had to take off quite a while and still have to work around both of them to some extent.

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-diet has been on track and I have went under 3k some days
-training has been on point
-Did four personal training sessions
-good amount of bed cardio
-Inbody machine read that I gained 2.5 % bodyfat from 13%to 15% from last friday to this friday bodyfat which is super improbale and it has to be wrong. This machine is known to be off because in the matter of three months one day i was 9 % and three months later I was 16 % and I no way gain that much as I have been staying lean year round. That said, I am still using it -it measures water levels as well and I think esses with the bodyfat readings. (A buddy that works at the gym said to get a true reading is on an empty stomach, no water in your system, first thing in the morning. I go few different gyms and its quite a drive so I dont know if I can do this, maybe I can do it once a week on Saturday or something.)
-In the mirror its hard to tell if I look leaner than last week

That said, I am reducing carbs by 50 grams this week and well see how it goes next week.

as far as supplements, I am omitting glycobol because I have been eating meals with fat in the four hours after I take glycobol and this could have cause fat gains(although I dont think it did) I just wont take any chances at this early in and Ill just save glycobol "offseason" because I have been though two hard contest preparations and going very low carbs or no carbs at all is not the way i plan on doing this contest preparation after staying much leaner have been in the past this whole year.

*I may take glycobol on carb up days; although they wont be for a while.

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness

I have been doing a lot of extra cardio with the girl I have been seeing. Three hours straight on Saturday night and all this week and I consider this cardio. With the personal training I do and the bed cardio I have been getting I see no need to do cardio in my current regime.

Nice update. Three hour card session? Good stuff man. That's a good and fun way of burning cals.

Originally Posted by LiveToLift

3 hours!!!!????? Damn

Thank you, yes I am gifted in the endurance department. Always have been, I think its more genetic than anything, alogn with staying lean most of my life and doing a lot of cardio up untill about twenty.

one arm db row 95lbs=12, 12 *and I can do 125lbs easy on db row however I hold back because I want to keep my chest, back in balance and my chest just isnt as strong. So yes I am a beleiver in holding back a bit on "strong" bodyparts and putting more effort into weaker ones to play catchup
nautilus double chest machine(Incline pec dec)(stop and go) 130=11, 12, 10

I have to say since I have been taking agmantine pumps are more intense and mood seems better during and after workout maybe due to increased pumps, whatever it is , it has been working well for myself

a lot of extracurricular cardio like two hours or more straight, yes it is true

a Review since last review

*I seem to have notice some belly fat reduction- small changes
*the In body520 machine reads about same as last week and I hope it is off because two weeks ago I was 2 % less bodyfat and I have been pre contest dieting consistently
*I am putting in the work via nutrition
*I have made the almost unconscious mistake of coming out in the middle of the night and eating chips and this has hurt me
*I have to eliminate this situation and replace with a shake, its almost like its a habit I have to break-I did count it toward my calories when i did it.
*I want to see results faster, one thing I am happy about this week stomach seemed to be leaner

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness

I have been doing a lot of extra cardio with the girl I have been seeing. Three hours straight on Saturday night and all this week and I consider this cardio. With the personal training I do and the bed cardio I have been getting I see no need to do cardio in my current regime.

My plan for this week. This week I have decided to drop calories a bit lower since, although I seem to have seen results, the inbody machine says something different( and I still say its off and I dont want to take any chances)

My target is 2670 calories maximum this week and if I don't hit 325 protein, calories can just be lower,I am fine with calories being 2500. I may calorie cycle some days where on days I have a lot of activty itll be higher and days low, lower.

I do not feel the need to have extremely high protein since my carbs are not that low. The lower my carbs get is when i really focus on protein so if I get 275 grams protein(including bcaa's) I am content; although if I go up to 325 grams that is fine as well.
max total 2670 (if I go 2500 that is fine)
325 protein
230 carbs
50 F

at this point I am taking a good amount of bcaa's like pre and post workout, between meals,at night when I wake up maybe 40 grams per day

The reason i have not added cardio in I still have over 13 weeks left and I am a beleiver in what Chris Aceto teaches, adding one varaible in at a time because if I drop my calories, add cardio this week and take a stim, that is three things and I don't know what is causing the fatloss. That said, if things do not change this week, I think instead of keep drping calories, the next week Ill add in cardio.

other ideas later on in the prep
have low fat days 3 days of the week-low fat as possible
low carb days if I feel I really need them
cut back on cardio when stalled(yes contactary to popular beleif this can help when too much cardio )

okay okay im getting ahead of myself as I havent even started cardio, I am just giving everyone soem good information, my point is , if its not working you have to change something and find something that works, if its working stick with it, if it stalls, change again, untill you figure out your body( and every prep is different, what worked the last one, may not always work this one)

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness

started off 16 weeks out on a 3,000 calorie diet 300 p, 300 c, and 65f
read 13 % body fat on the inbody520 machine as my first reading
the next week I read 15% so I lower calories dropped carbs to 250 carbs at 2800 , i visually noticed abs a bit leaner-and I read 15 % again
This week I dropped calories to 2670 at the highest- with an average of 325 protein, 230 carbohydrates and 50 fat and today the machine read 14.7 % , it says I dropped almost 1 % body fat and gained 2 lbs muscle and lost 2 lbs fat in a week

Honestly, as I said before, I think this machine is off. There is no way i went from 13 % to 15 % in one week of dieting. It measures so much stuff like intracellular and extracellular water levels and I think when i am more hydrated my body fat levels read higher. That said, I am using this machine as a gauge and I am going more by my eye and with some help of my girl.

so according to the machine things have changed this week and what i am doing it working.

-I have added in more bcaa's between meals to help with hunger feelings so I might be taking up to 50 grams bcaa's a day. I started beta alanine as well, this could explain the two pound muscle gain ; although, I still think the machine is off .

-I have not added in cardio yet as I burn plenty calories with personal training, helping my grandmother and a good amount of bed cardio. I still have thirteen weeks I still have time to change one variable at a time when things stall.

My plan coming up :

add in cardio next when things stall and add in ec stack or ec (alpha yohimbine) stack-I know this is going against adding in one thing at a time , I just feel like I need to do this, if its a mistake , then Ill learn and correct course next time.

when that stalls reduce carbs another 25%

Then go from there, there are so many creative methods/ideas a person can use and try to see if they work when things stall.

started off 16 weeks out on a 3,000 calorie diet 300 p, 300 c, and 65f
read 13 % body fat on the inbody520 machine as my first reading
the next week I read 15% so I lower calories dropped carbs to 250 carbs at 2800 , i visually noticed abs a bit leaner-and I read 15 % again
This week I dropped calories to 2670 at the highest- with an average of 325 protein, 230 carbohydrates and 50 fat and today the machine read 14.7 % , it says I dropped almost 1 % body fat and gained 2 lbs muscle and lost 2 lbs fat in a week

Honestly, as I said before, I think this machine is off. There is no way i went from 13 % to 15 % in one week of dieting. It measures so much stuff like intracellular and extracellular water levels and I think when i am more hydrated my body fat levels read higher. That said, I am using this machine as a gauge and I am going more by my eye and with some help of my girl.

so according to the machine things have changed this week and what i am doing it working.

-I have added in more bcaa's between meals to help with hunger feelings so I might be taking up to 50 grams bcaa's a day. I started beta alanine as well, this could explain the two pound muscle gain ; although, I still think the machine is off .

-I have not added in cardio yet as I burn plenty calories with personal training, helping my grandmother and a good amount of bed cardio. I still have thirteen weeks I still have time to change one variable at a time when things stall.

My plan coming up :

add in cardio next when things stall and add in ec stack or ec (alpha yohimbine) stack-I know this is going against adding in one thing at a time , I just feel like I need to do this, if its a mistake , then Ill learn and correct course next time.

when that stalls reduce carbs another 25%

Then go from there, there are so many creative methods/ideas a person can use and try to see if they work when things stall.

the great thing about doing a log is that you can see how the small changes in training / diet effect your body compisition / condition. Every person reacts differently to supplements, training, carbs, fats, etc.... you have to find out what works for you, especially BEFORE you are getting down to the wire for the show. A small error in your tweaking for the last week / even hours up to the show can sabatoge all of the hard work and dedication you have put in leading up to the show. Keep up the good work

Weekly update
~Some days I train twice a day, usually calves and another body part, and it helps burn fat faster, started this this week, two workouts a day help stimulate the metabolism.
~dropped 3-4 lbs
~according to the inbody 520 machine I am still the same amount of bodyfat 14.8, which I still think is off. (I started out four weeks ago at 13 %)~Calories have gone lower than my goal of 2600 calories some days, and that is okay
~ Started my hormonal at 10 mgs (my plan is laid out on the first pageand Ill go up to 15 mgs this week and 25 mgs at the highest next week)

What I Plan on doing differently this week (since I may be stalled for fatloss according to the Inbody520 machine; although I think im losing body-fat; I am not taking any chances)~Adding cardio in this week
~Somedays stimulating the metabolism twice daily(either though training twice daily or training and a cardio session)
~Possibly adding in a fatburn stack starting low and working up ( and maybe holding back untill when things stall again)

Can't believe I missed this, John! In and supporting you! I know what it's like to have to postpone things due to life and everything, not to mention how hard it is to come back from injury, but I know you CAN do this!

Can't believe I missed this, John! In and supporting you! I know what it's like to have to postpone things due to life and everything, not to mention how hard it is to come back from injury, but I know you CAN do this!

~Rosie~

Like you said there is a fine line between progression and pushing it to the extreme. I do injury prevention stuff weekly, like fricton massage, iceing, the ems machine, and once every six weeks go to my ARt therapist for maintaince.

Follow me on facebook, twitter and youtube, where I share information and videos to help you achieve your physique goals, John Smeton Ftness